For the record: The Big BIOETHICAL Questions

As users of our Upcoming TV worth recording feature will know, the BBC’s Sunday morning studio debate show The Big Questions frequently includes bioethical topics amongst the three issues discussed each episode. It has not proven possible to add posts on each of the programmes, and unfortunately they are only maintained online for a week after transmission. However, with the current series now more than halfway through a 43 episode run, it felt like an appropriate time to document in one list the programmes that have featured the most overtly bioethical discussions, and to provide the TRILT code for each episode so that members of the BUFVC can order copies via the catch-up service.

Episodes including bioethical debate (Season 2)

Episode

Date
(all 2009)

Question

2

4th January

Is it right to experiment on animals?
(issue #2 of 3, TRILT code: 00CD5D48)

4

18th January

Are designer babies unethical?
(#1, TRILT code: 00D14F18)

6

1st February

Should the terminal ill be helped to die?
(#3, TRILT code: 00D8DE1F)

10

1st March

Should parents teach children that sex can
be wrong? (#1, TRILT code: 00E19004)

11

8th March

Are father’s being sidelined?
(#1, TRILT code: 00E36E40)

14

29th March

Should abortion services be advertised?
(#3, TRILT code: 00E95971)

16

3rd May

Should assisting a suicide be made legal?
(#3, TRILT code: 00F498FF)

17

10th May

Should we all be on the DNA database?
(#1, TRILT code: 00F5D006)

17

10th May

Is surrogacy wrong?
(#2, TRILT code: 00F5D006)

21

14th June

Should the NHS discriminate against the
very old? (#2, TRILT code: 01013759)

25

12th July

Should disability be eradicated?
(#2, TRILT code: 01077439)

27

26th July

Should great apes have rights?
(#2, TRILT code: 010A02C5)

32

30th August

Are zoos unethical?
(#3, TRILT code: 0111E95B)

The series is continuing and additional issues will be added to this list as and when they are discussed.